p91206@wbcs.UUCP (John W. Flaherty) (04/13/88)
Well the time is here.
I NEED a computer at home. Naturally I am looking for the biggest
fastest newest machine for the tinyest little price tag.
(hopefully around $2k)
I have spent many hours reading my "Computer Shopper" and "The Inputer",
have read many articles about clone /vs/ major and spent some time
thinking about what I would like. (I mean NEED. :-)
What I think I would like is : (er NEED)
286 based machine (386 YES! 386 price tag UGH! NO! CHOKE!)
10 or 12 MHZ
0 wait states (seems to make good fast sense to me)
1 meg memory (2 meg .. 3 meg .. AH HA HA HA!!)
40 meg HD
1.2 meg FD
modem
Clock/cal
serial
parallel
Mono (I really like EGA though. For sure someday)
cheap dot matrix printer (can do NLQ and graphics)
My questions to the net :
I have looked at some clones - Universal Microsystem
Master systems
Clone
Does anyone out there own one of these?
And would you buy one again?
Does the speed of memory 80ns /vs/ 100ns /vs/ 120ns make enough of
a difference to warrent the extra cost? IOW, If I have a 286 with
0 wait states would it need to 'wait' for 120/100/80 or is the
speed of the bus slow (?) enough that 120/100/80 look the same to
the CPU? (I don't want to just assume faster memory gets me a faster
computer)
What do the different data coding techniques (RLL etc.) mean?
And what do they get me for the money?
If I get a 40meg 28ms drive, is it the same speed for each technique
above?
What is in a BIOS? No, really, what is IN a BIOS, I only have ideas,
I really don't know?
Lastly, to all those people who build their own :
case
power supply
motherboard (hopefully clock/ser/par on board)
memory
BIOS
HD and controller
FD and controller
Monitor and card
keyboard
Am I forgetting anything?
Can it be built cheaper?
Note* I am aware warranties are scarce with this route.
Can you suggest any makes for any of the above?
(particularly motherboards)
Can I build a 386 (include all above) for less than
(or very very very close to) $2k?
If it sounds like I am new to the net. I am.
If it sounds like I am weary of sales hype. Again I am. (I bought a TI-99/4a
for $300, showed it to a friend, only to have her buy one at Target for under
$50 a few months later. I still wimper in my sleep over that one.)
Any one know what to do with a TI-99/4a?
Please email all flames to : /dev/null
(unless of course there is some constructive criticism contained, then)
email replies to me at : UUCP : ncr-sd!ncrwic!wbcs!p91206
I thank you for your time (and space)
John Flaherty
PS If you are a Motarola fan and can make a good case against a 286
and for one of your own, fire away (email), I am open to archetectures.
(remember cost/perf)
Something cute goes here.tommie@psivax.UUCP (Tom Levin) (04/16/88)
In article <135@wbcs.UUCP> p91206@wbcs.UUCP (John W. Flaherty) writes: >Any one know what to do with a TI-99/4a? They make great door stops! ;-) -- Tom Levin (The Robo-Programmer) {ihnp4|sdcrdcf|ttidca|scgvaxd|nrcvax| part man, part machine... jplpro|hoptoad |csun|quad1|bellcore| all hacker! logico|rdlvax}!psivax!tommie